


A Snowball's Chance in Hell

by Ibenholt



Category: Ai no Kusabi
Genre: M/M, bison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:35:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21719278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ibenholt/pseuds/Ibenholt
Summary: Riki is dead, Guy is gone, and Kirie's wish came true.What will happen to Bison now?
Relationships: Norris/Maxi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: Ai no Kusabi Creative Challenge December 2019





	A Snowball's Chance in Hell

**Author's Note:**

> My first entry into the December 2019's #ankCreativeChallenge! The challenge was to have a title containing the word Snowball!

The blinding light that took out Dana Bahn and half of Harvey had gone out. The sound seemed to still be booming in Ceres’ walls, however.

Luke supposed it was only another stone in the pile of misery that came with being a mongrel.

Had the explosion hit Midas or even Eos, rebuilding wouldn’t have taken more than a week, maybe even just a few days. But because of the location, they were left to themselves, once again.

Kind, stupid souls tried to heal the injured. But there was little to do without medicines or knowledge, and often, they only gave them a warm and somewhat safe place to die.

The rubble remained, but Guy was gone.

He’d left them a note back at the old hiding place, telling them that Riki was dead, and it was his fault. Because of that he had to shed his skin. No longer a member of Bison, or Riki’s placeholder, shadow, second in command or pairing partner.

Sid had exploded, which was new to both him and Norris. Sid was always the level-headed one. Now he stomped and screamed and wouldn’t calm down until they forced him to stand still.

Someone whispered about seeing Kirie dead-eyed and on a leash in Midas. They wouldn’t look for him now that his dream had come true.

It was only them now.

“… I’m going away with Maxi.”

Norris said that night, after they downed a mouthful of stout in Riki’s honor. Their leader who had sacrificed himself and his freedom so they could live unshackled. There was not enough booze in the world to let Luke forget the sight of Riki licking Iason Mink’s boots, nor how he’d pleaded with them to leave before that demon had entered the room and turned their world on its head.

“I can’t… I can’t do this shit anymore,” he drank another mouthful, fingers curling around a napkin, “Maxi fixed us a place... We’ll open a garage.”

Sid said nothing. Luke smiled weakly,

“Smart of you, Norris.”

“We can’t…! We’re over. Bison’s over.”

“We know, man. You don’t need to yell.”

Norris wiped his eyes. Luke hadn’t even noticed that they’d glazed over.

“… he can get you out of Ceres.”

Somehow, in the middle of the chaos and explosions, a cable had been severed. It should have been minor, but the PAM-chips in all Midas citizens had gone offline. Records were purged and could not be retrieved. As such, if they stayed under the radar, they could not only sneak in, but stay there, permanently.

Maxi explained this to them as he gave them clothes that would help them blend in.

“It’s a place full o’ sex, scum and shit. You’ll fit in perfectly.”

Luke snorted at him,

“Right.”

“Right. If you two wanna stick together, I’m not gonna argue, but it’s probably best to sever all ties.”

“Like you’re doing by movin’ in with Norris, huh?” Sid spat.

Maxi rose to his full height, two heads taller than him and thick with muscle. 

“I haven’t been running with a gang since I was 14. No one’s gonna bother with an old coot like me. You guys, though… you still got warrants out there, don’t’cha?”

Luke and Sid shared a look. The Darkmen wouldn’t remember their faces, necessarily, but a few fingerprints and blood samples would be enough to get them tossed into jail until they began to rot. Maxi was a criminal like them, overpricing his services and parts like it was nothing. But it was more than true that the last time he'd laid a hand on someone, it was either self-defense, or looking out for his pairing partner. 

“Thought so.”

Just as he said that, Norris came out of the bathroom, his hair dyed brown and ears full of fresh piercings.

Midas was busy in the afternoon, and as Luke hugged Sid one last time, they seemed to block off the street. They’d eaten at a surprisingly nice place, pretending that it was nothing more than two pals meeting up for lunch. Norris had said his goodbyes last night, hugging them both so tightly they’d stopped breathing for a moment.

“Where are you headed?” Sid said once they pulled away. His hair was lilac now, and he’d slipped on Luke’s shades. A farewell present, kind of. 

“Dunno yet.” Luke said.

They stared into the streets. It was clean, despite the vulgarities they knew were happening inside the buildings.

Luke grabbed his hand suddenly,

“Don’t forget me, ok?”

Sid sniffled a little before nodding and slowly walking away. 

Luke looked after him until he was a dot on the horizon, and his own eyes blurred.

Walking off, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Face bare and his hair cropped shorter, he felt as if any moment now, the Darkmen would come out and drag him with them. But the people passing him didn’t even look at him. 

So this was freedom.

Riki had cut ties with them to achieve it, but it hadn’t been worth it in the end.

If Riki had failed, what chance did Luke have?

Smiling to himself, he walked on. All he was sure of was that he wouldn’t know until he had tried.


End file.
